IFB - Page 8 of 9 - Independent Fashion Bloggers

Daily Inspiration: Every Artist Was First an Amateur

Yes, it is true, every one begins as an amateur. I would even go a step further and say, we suck at first. Maybe some have a gift and do something ok the first time. But for the most part, to really beco...

10 Surprising Phrases You Might Be Getting Wrong

Many of us bloggers may not have started our blogs out of our love for the written word. There are many bloggers who are "ideas" people-- those who love sharing information about a favorite topic. Personally, I started blogging in spite of the fact writing w...

Get Paid: Invoice Template for Your Blogger Services [DOWNLOAD]

The good news is, your blog is in business. You've got your first project approved by the client, and now what? You need to GET PAID! Sometimes business is done with a handshake, but for tax purposes, b...

7 Common Traits of High Quality Fashion Blogs

"Be so good they can't ignore you." ~Steve Martin I keep going back to this, because it's at once sage advice, and completely subjective advice. For bloggers wishing to become professional, getting noticed i...

The 6 Fashion Bloggers Personality Types

Fashion bloggers are an interesting mix aren't we? Who else takes photos of ourselves (often with a tripod) and posts them on the internet? Sounds strange when you say it out loud doesn't it? But somehow it's the most delightful escape, talking about outfits...

4 Creative Examples of Successful Sponsored Posts

After affiliate links & advertising, sponsored posts are the third tier in monetizing your blog. But how do you present these without them seeming like adverts in the midst of your otherwise heartfelt con...

Collaborate: 23 Beneficial Ideas To Do With Blogger Friends

By Jessie Holeva of trendhungry.com Blogging can be lonely. Whether you blog in the early morning before your 9 to 5, on the weekends, or 24/7 it’s usually a solo task. But take a look on Instagram. A lot of your favorite bloggers are friends. They’re invited...

Beginner SEO Tips for Fashion Bloggers

When you take a look at your analytics, where is most of your traffic coming from? For many blogs, as much as 50% of traffic can come from search engines. With IFB, 44% of our traffic comes from Google organ...

Daily Inspiration: Some days you just have to create your own sunshine.

There are days where everything goes wrong. Toothpaste drops on your silk blouse, late for work, given bad news, accidentally deleted a 1000 word post, someone says something rude to you... ug. There are th...

7 Signs You Might be a Professional Blogger

"I want to be a professional blogger." We've all said it, but what does it mean? I imagine that for each of us the definition of professional blogger varies. For some of us, being a professional blogger may mean working as a blogger full-time and being p...

Daily Inspiration: Doing what you like is freedom, Liking what you do is happiness

The search for happiness goes beyond the ages, as is the quest for freedom. I've found that after working a day job for most of my life, day jobs I never really suck with, that doing what you like is sup...

Daily Inspiration: The Grass Is Greener Where You Water It

We've all heard the "grass is greener on the other side of the fence" cliche. It's a great saying that keeps us aware that we tend to compare ourselves and think that other people have it better. It's perce...

8 Business Books to Inspire the Entrepreneur Inside You

As the sunshine finally returns to those of us who've been under a long winter, why don't you head outside to get some vitamin D with a book that will help you take your blog & business to the next level. These are a few of my favorite reads that will in...

Daily Inspiration: Small Things Become Great When Done With Love

Never underestimate what love can bring to the table. Your blog might be small, your tweet might only reach a few people, but if you show up and put your heart into what you do, it will show. When you...

Daily Inspiration: It takes nothing to join a crowd. It takes everything to stand alone.

One of the characteristics of the fashion blogging community is that we have a strong desire to be liked. I say this as compared to celebrity blogs, political blogs, hey, even tech blogs, all are here nor t...

Six Tax Tips for Bloggers

Have you filed your taxes yet? In the business of blogging, taxes are the biggest drag. For most of us at least. In fact, you many be reading this post in procrastination of actually doing your taxes. But no matter how much you try to avoid the subject, you ...

Daily Inspiration: Sometimes Good Things Fall Apart So Better Things Can Fall Together

There was a lot of great energy this week, but over the last few days I've heard of a theme of things falling apart from various people. When I saw this quote it struck home, as every time something I wante...

nothing great ever achieved without enthusiasm

Daily Inspiration: Nothing Great Was Ever Achieved Without Enthusiasm

The thing about blogging is that it is a long term activity. It's easy to be enthusiastic in the beginning, but as time goes on, it becomes easier and easier to become jaded, frustrated, burnt out. And true,...

Daily Inspiration: If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams…

One of the best beauty tips I know of is to be happy. Happy people radiate a beauty like nothing else that can be found in a jar. It's the truest kind of beauty. I know, sometimes we can have bad days. I have them. And sometimes it's just a matter of t...

23 Ways to Promote Posts & Increase Your Blog Traffic

Writing your blog posts is just a small part of growing your blog. The rest is getting readers to your blog...and that's not always as easy. While there are some tried and true means of growing your blog, t...

6 Graphic Design Resources For Fashion Bloggers

Great graphic design is a critical part of branding your blog. It's as important as your Twitter strategies, your photography, hey, I would go as far as to say as it's as important as your text. Why? Becaus...

Actually, Bloggers DO Influence People to Buy

Sometimes getting feedback on the impact of blogging can be tough. I keep thinking about how Mickey Drexler once said, “I have yet to see a correlation in my industry between great social media and great numbers. You’ve got to be there, but on the other hand...

9 Fashion Bloggers Worth their Weight in Words

There are more niches in fashion blogging than we could ever begin to cover, but its worthwhile to explore bloggers whose main tool is words, not photographs. Those who are exploring (and blogging about!) fa...

How to Protect your Blog from Plagiarism

Guest Post by Sandra Miller After investing that much time and effort in creating fresh, interesting and completely unique content for your blog, it would be best to also make sure your posts are protected...

Daily Inspiration: Nothing Great Ever Came That Easy

It always fascinates me how people think that bloggers just sit around all day taking Instagrams of cupcakes. For some of us, it might be that easy. But for me, it hasn't. It's important to note that if it were easy to be great, everyone would be gre...

Daily Inspiration: You Can Never Be Overdressed…

Gotta love Oscar Wilde. But it's true, especially in fashion blogging. You can never be overdressed in this industry (even if some say we are "peacocking"). And even more so, you can never be overeducate...

Daily Inspiration: The Only Person You Try to be Better Than

When it comes to fashion blogging, it's hard not to compare. I don't know why we do it, but comparing ourselves to other bloggers: who's thinner, prettier, has more designer handbags, the list goes on, and ...

Daily Inspiration: Don’t Stumble Over Something Behind You

What happened, happened. Learn from mistakes and obstacles and move on. Easier said than done, no? We all tend to carry lessons from the past (if we're smart), which is a good thing. That's how we learn and grow. But if past foibles weigh us down by ...

Daily Inspiration: If Your Dreams Don’t Scare You…

Who would want to have scary dreams? Probably not very many people. When we say, if your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough... we're not talking about the kind of fear you see in zombi...

Daily Inspiration: Everyone Is Perfect

"You are perfect, just the way you are." Either you love hearing that, or roll your eyes. But the truth is, that more often than not, we subject ourselves to self-criticism in the name of improvement. Ho...

A Fashion Blogger’s Guide to Covering Events Like a Pro

Last week we did a little bit of crowd sourcing to get an idea of the kinds of posts that the community might want to see from us. One such idea, which I really liked, was to discuss how to cover events as a fashion blogger "without overdoing it." It's a ...

Daily Inspiration: A Head Full of Fears Has No Space For Dreams

When I was young, I didn't really know people who really went after their dreams. Not in the sense of reaching for the top of the top anyway. When I met someone who wanted to be a photographer, and just app...

Create Your Own Digital Magazines With Glossi

Click to view OntheRacks on GLOSSI.COM When I was in High School, I wanted to create magazines. More like fan 'zines with a photocopied issues with handwritten and typewritter'd text and collaged ...

Case Study: Affiliate Earnings With Rewardstyle vs. ShopSense

Are you struggling to make money with affiliate links on your blog? I was too. (Even though this happened.) Let me explain: I've been a part of the Rewardstyle affiliate program for years, but only started really using it in the summer of 2012. As I ment...

Blogger True Story: My Blog Helped Me Get My Dream Job

I met Kiley Stenberg of a Sequin Dress at Breakfast a few fashion week seasons ago at a brunch (where else?) and we've been fast friends ever since. While living in Des Moines, Iowa, Kiley has been working at a...

Quotes from the Lost Generation on Writing

I've recently started reading The Paris Wife; at 70 pages in, I'm completely captivated by this historical fiction piece and forgetting it's not an autobiography. More so, I'm reminded of my fascination and ...

Blogging Tip: How to Write The Perfect About Page

When you start blogging, the first page you should think about adding to your site is the about page. Although it is one of the most important pages on your site (along with the contact page), it is often considered the most challenging when it comes to writ...

Get To Know This Season’s Smart, Sassy & Stylish IFBcon Speakers

As we mentioned briefly in one of yesterday's posts, celebrity clout is not the most important quality in selecting our speakers each year for IFBcon. We work very hard to put together panels and select key...

Capitalize on Your Influence with Beso Rewards

Tapping into that trust as a monetization stream is a key strategy for financially successful bloggers. That’s where affiliate programs like Beso Rewards come in.

Sister Act: Blogging Duos Keeping it in the Family

As an only child who grew up spending most of her time providing her own entertainment and playing make-believe by herself, running a blog solo has always felt natural to me. I like the control, I'm comfortable working alone, and writing can be a very solita...

Viral Content in Fashion: What Makes It Go Big?

In digital media, we're all looking to capture that special something that could make our content go viral. It can feel like luck of the draw and often prove difficult to pin down just what exactl...

The 6 Best Tablets for Fashion Bloggers

Can a tablet make keeping up with your blog easier and which ones are the best for fashion blogging? I resisted the call of the tablet for a while, thinking that all I needed was my trusty MacBook. But after a couple of seasons working during New York Fas...

How To: Use SWOT Analysis to Strengthen Your Blog Business

Why fashion bloggers should start using a SWOT analysis to strengthen their blog business

Daily Dose of Inspiration: The Quieter You Become, the More You Can Hear

Why listening is your best business weapon.

5 Easy Ideas for Your Next Blog Post Series

How to find and create content after the holidays have passed.

Daily Dose of Inspiration: Mistakes are proof that you are trying

Why your mistakes are learning lessons and proof that you tried. Effort points, everyone!

4 Timeless Blogging Lessons From Carrie Bradshaw

By Emily VanderBeek, Isn't That Charming It’s safe to say that if Sex and the City had started 10 years later, Carrie Bradshaw would have been a blogger. New York City’s “It” girl would have tweeted to M...

Where to Draw the Line with Copied Content

While a pessimist would say, "Nothing is original." an optimist would say, "We're all inspired by each other." In the creative industry, there are times when someone's "inspiration" is a pain in the ass. They may create a similar blog, or start a simila...

Jealousy & Envy in the Blogging Community

Perhaps it's not the most festive topic this time of year, but I've been thinking a lot about jealousy and envy in the blogging community. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's felt more than a tinge of one o...

Design Tips: Color Combinations For Your Blog Made Easy

When you think about the world around you, color is one of the most important things we see. It affects our mood, can bring us joy, strike up memories, or draw attention. Think about how absolutely dull our w...

Is It Anyone’s Business? The “Reality” Of Lifestyle Blogger Content

When it comes to lifestyle blogging, is omission of certain "lifestyle elements" untruthful or tactical? New York Magazine's The Cut published an article Wednesday, "No Sex Please -- We're Domestic Godde...

You Are Creative: Here’s How To Ignite Your Spark

By Emily Vanderbeek of Isn't That Charming Pablo Picasso is turning in his grave. Ernest Hemingway is shouting from the heavens. Andy Warhol is glaring at me with warning in his eyes. Why? I’m about to g...

Graphic Design for Bloggers: Design Details You Should Add To Your Blog

Designing your blog is not an easy task, especially if you are a beginner to the graphic design world and can't afford to hire a consultant. But you don't want to leave your blog bland and boring, right? What's a blogger to do? You get smart and strategi...

Design That Shines: 10 Tips For A Dynamic Blog Header

The header of your blog is the first thing your readers lay their eyes on. It sets the tone for your content and gives them a feel for who you are and what your site is all about. Myself, I've redesigned my...

Link Building 101 For Fashion Bloggers

By Ally Biring of FeelUnique.com. Posting gorgeous, brilliant content is unquestionably the best way to increase traffic. The second best way is link building. And while there unfortunately isn’t a cle...

7 Fabulous Free Fonts For Your Fashion Blog

Sometimes with free fonts you get what you pay for, tacky, clunky and unrefined. Sifting through "free font" websites has always deterred me from browsing through the masses of "free fonts" that I'll end up just buying a font to save time. These days there ar...

14 Quotes from Fashion Icons That Will Inspire Your Blogging

Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'! -Audrey Hepburn Just be true to yourself, and listen as much as one is able to to other people whose opinions you respect and look up to but in th...

6 Great Custom Logo Shops on Etsy

Getting that perfect logo is never easy. The FedEx logo famously cost $1Million dollars because it has a hidden arrow. Paul Rand, designer of the iconic IBM logo once told Steve Jobs that he would only design o...

Write Your Next Post – in 30 Minutes OR LESS

Bloggers and gentlemen - prepare to be amazed! I'm about to dazzle you with instructions on how to complete a feat of Internet magic: You can write your next fashion blog post in 30 minutes - or less. But like any good magician, you've got to have yo...

8 Tips to Jumpstart Writing Your First eBook

By Glee of The Gleeful Fashionista One way to monetize your fashion blog is by selling your own products such as eBooks. Its a good source of passive income which can generate revenue for years to come i...

Photography For Bloggers: 15 Photography Tips from Famous Photographers

One of my most memorable classes in college was an Intro to Photography course that launched me into the big world of photography. Not only did it open my eyes to techniques and new skills, it al...

What’s The Right Platform For Your Fashion Blog?

Whether you're just about to start a blog or looking to switch platforms, choosing the one that's right for you is a big deal. It's like choosing a city to live in. You can always move, and you can rent an apartment rather than buy a home, but no matter wh...

5 Easy Ways To Take Better Photos Indoors

You might think shooting indoors is easier, since you can usually control all of the elements around your shoot -- but often times photographers struggle with getting that stunning photo while indoors.

How To Have A Strong Voice In Your Writing, And Why It’s Important

The photos, the site design, and the social media outlets are vital limbs in developing a cohesive blog -- but at the heart of the whole operation lies the writing, and more importantly, the voice.

Don’t Lie About Your Blog Traffic, You’ll Get Caught

Everyone knows lying is bad. However, when it comes to selling services the line between fact and fiction gets blurred in trying to paint the best picture. My favorite example of this is the food label, "Fat Free" to imply something is "healthy." In the b...

The 10 Ultimate Photo Editing Apps for Android

Discover which Android apps are the best for photography, from special effects to editing.

The 10 Best Gadgets For Your Blogger Fashion Blog

Where my Blogspot fashion bloggers at!? Can I get a woop woop? I know there are still many of us out there who use Google's blogging platform, Blogger, for their sites (myself included). It's a very user...

25 Ways To Get Your Blog Featured

Be the first, be the best. But what else can you do to get your blog featured? We've rounded up 25 ways give your blog that extra push into the spotlight...

How I Finally Started Making Money With Affiliate Links

Here's the thing about advice: you can listen to it, read it, and agree with it - but actually putting it into action? That's something totally different, isn't it? As an editor at IFB and a personal sty...

3 Ways To Say “Thank You!” To Your Readers

You know that feeling you get when you open up your mailbox and see a small, pretty envelope addressed by hand, specifically to you? It makes you feel special, doesn't it? It's even better when it turns out tha...

25 Ways To Make Money Blogging

Bloggers from all areas of the globe have different ways of sustaining their lives as independent professional bloggers, we wanted to put some options together for you... all in one place.

Why Being An Entrepreneur is Better Than Having a “Day Job”

Have you ever thought of starting your own business? Of being your own boss? The reality is that 66% of businesses fail in the first two years, which can be scary. Yet, the dream of being your own boss is s...

4 Tips For Writing Your Fashion Blog Like A Magazine

By: Mignon A. Gould of The Chic Spy So, you’ve decided you want to launch your very own blog or revamp your current style blog. Others in the blogosphere have inspired you, but you can’t decide which ty...

School of Hard Blogs: What a Bachelor’s Degree in Blogging Could Include

Explore the potential courses that would be offered to get a degree in fashion blogging.

The Anatomy of A Blog-to-Brand Deal Part I: You Pitch Them

Fair warning bloggers: this is a long post. When I started analyzing how many steps go into the back-and-forth communication that leads to a blogger-and-brand deal, I had no idea how long it would actually ...

Beyond Chic: The Fashion Blogger’s Thesaurus

Odds are, if you're writing a blog, you're probably a words person. You'd choose a crossword puzzle over Sudoku on Sunday morning. You excelled in in English more than mathematics back in high school. Or...

Blogger Tutorial: How to Set Your Rates

When you start monetizing your blog, the biggest question in your mind is probably, "What should I charge?" Figuring out what to charge is probably a question that will never have a permanent answer. Rates change as demand fluctuates, as you get to know...

10 Ways to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

Do you ever find that the mind can be seriously annoying? At least that's what I thought last Friday. I was frustrated, overwhelmed and wasn't sure how to get myself out of my very own creative rut.</ Ins...

5 Chic Handbags That Will Fit Your Blogger Gear

Handbags have always been difficult for me. I love them on other people, but picking out the right one has always been a problem. Especially these days when we have to schlep around a laptop, sometimes a came...

It Takes Two: The Benefits of Blogging As A Pair

We all know that blogging is hard work, and that the actual act of blogging (writing, posting, editing) can be a solitary endeavor. Recently, though, we've noticed a proliferation of amazing blogs - run by ...

How To Write A Crystal Clear Post Disclosure

We here at IFB tried to tackle the issue of blogger transparency with a different approach -- by highlighting bloggers and campaigns that did it right, and showing exemplary practices that you can use as an outline for your own disclaimers.

IFB’s Ultimate Guide For Choosing An Affiliate Network

When we talk about monetizing our fashion and style blogs, we come back to affiliate links and advertisements over and over again. It's not because it's the only way, but because it's one of the easiest. Affi...

Pro in A Year: How This Beauty Blogger Made Her Passion Into A Career

From finance... to foundation? Lindsay Rogers envisions her blog, Belle Belle Beauty, like be a beauty blog for fashion people. "It's not necessarily for the insane beauty junkie, but for someone who knows ...

Will The Blogger Making $10K Outside NYFW Please Stand Up?

Last week, the New York Times published an article about how bloggers were paid to wear clothes to Fashion Week so they can get shot by street style photographers, "Popular bloggers and other so-called infl...

Does Your Blog Need A Terms of Use & Copyright Notice?

Now, I know this is going to sound strange, but I have to tell you something: Not everything about setting up a blog is fun. I know, I know, crazy right? Some of the boxes you have to check off as you prepa...

Fashion Blogging vs. Magazines: What Does The Future Hold?

As magazines begin to tap into bloggers more and more, I began to wonder: will this progression continue to meld together, eventually evolving digital magazine platforms and blogs into one? Or will magazines and blogs forever be of two different mindsets in fashion?